[Pyro™]

^Yeah, they HAVE to re-do the stable announcing. They only announced who you were playing as rather than the stable. Now how on Earth did that look right?

What they should really do is have the stable entrances for both tag and for singles matches with managers, only the computer recognizes which match it is, so for instance, in a tag match, DX would come out as D-Generation X, where as in singles with a manager, DX would come out as HHH, accompanied by Shawn Michaels, or vice versa.

[Sargey]

I'm also hoping, that more tag team stables can be in the game, such as Undertaker & Kane being put together if you wanted, and when yo umade that stable, you could choose out of MANY different options, as to how they came to the ring.

It all became/will become to repetitive otherwise.

[Diez]

For the first time in I think ever actually, there's an inevitable storyline that actually does indeed, grasp my interest a great deal. And that storyline is, the ECW Invasion.

I think we all know ECW is supposed to play this type of "invasion" role in this game, meaning they will most likely have that angle in 24/7 mode, which I think will be great. Say like you're having a match with some guy, and the ECW music plays and out comes Sandman, who swings a cane and cracks ya a nice one in the noggin'. Then RVD nails a Van Terminator.

Well, something like that anyway. Another role could be like you're a new kid, and they offer you to jump ships to the "extreme" side. I just think this ECW invasion angle has so much potential to actually be, well...good.

[i$aac]

If they get the selling and movement animations down properly (no, thats not reacting for half a second then going back to your default position) then It's a must buy for me.

[Pyro™]

^The post of a true smark.

[MoveMent™]

Originally Posted by Diesel

If anything, fuck GM Mode. Seriously

In SVR2007 I played it once, and got bored less than half way through it. I'd rather play SVR2007's season than GM Mode, and I fuckin' hate 2007's season.

Hopefully this WWE 24/7 is a breath of fresh air, because season and GM Mode are lacklustre.

I find that the only thing worth playing on 07 cause like you said Season Mode sucks, I'm hoping this too change in 08 but I would like too see some improvements to it, and you should be able to play season mode with anyone

[i$aac]

LOL Pyro, leave me alone, I just bum realism

[wG!]

Originally Posted by Diesel

I think we all know ECW is supposed to play this type of "invasion" role in this game, meaning they will most likely have that angle in 24/7 mode, which I think will be great. Say like you're having a match with some guy, and the ECW music plays and out comes Sandman, who swings a cane and cracks ya a nice one in the noggin'. Then RVD nails a Van Terminator.

Well, something like that anyway. Another role could be like you're a new kid, and they offer you to jump ships to the "extreme" side. I just think this ECW invasion angle has so much potential to actually be, well...good.

That would be quite cool actualy. Having some scenarios like that fit perfectly into the name "ECW Invasion". Has anyone actually seen what the title heading of the game looks like? I only saw very little of it during the game interview. Since a tiny piece of it was shown on the TV.

[arjun14626rko]

I hope there is a continuous season mode this year with a good storyline. I bypassed on last year's game, and judging your reactions, it seems like a made a smart move. GM mode is useless to me.

They know what they need to improve on to make the game better. One thing I would like to see is fluent counters. Counters make a match interesting, so I want to counter someone's finisher with my finisher. Just little things to make matches interesting.

[Richie™]

Posted this a while back. Belongs in here now

Originally Posted by www.ign.com

Came from ign.com.

Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 Eyes-on
Can you smell what THQ and Yuke's are cooking?
by Greg Miller
US, March 30, 2007 - Even if they won't change the Smackdown vs. Raw name, ECW is going to be big in 2008.

In front of a ballroom full of gaming journalists and PR types, THQ unveiled the first in-game footage from Smackdown vs. Raw 2008, but even before the gameplay movies rolled, the static logo blasted across a Titantron-looking big screen and several widescreen TVs let the room know this year would be different.

A purple splash had soiled the familiar Smackdown vs. Raw logo. It said "ECW INVASION."

"ECW is completely invading our franchise," said THQ Creative Manager Cory Ledesma. "It's going to be just as equal to Raw and Smackdown as far as superstars, arenas, attacks you'll have in season mode, you'll have exclusive weapons, exclusive match types - ECW is going to be completely integrated into the franchise."



That's hardcore, but don't think that the innovators of violence were the main thrust of Friday's event. While at the podium, Ledesma spoke about the new Struggle Submission System, superstar fighting styles and got into the brand new WWE 24/7 mode - a combination of the franchise's season and general manager modes.

Remember last year when your goal in season mode was to make it to Wrestlemania? THQ is setting the bar higher this year. A lot higher.

"Ultimately, the goal is to become a legend," Ledesma said. "This process of becoming a legend could take quite awhile."

Pick Undertaker for your WWE 24/7 character? He's pretty popular already, you might be able to knock out his set of preset, unannounced goals in about six in-game months and make your way into the WWE Hall of Fame. Create a character? You could be looking at three years of WWE ladder climbing.

"Really what we wanted to accomplish here was let the user live the life of a WWE superstar," Ledesma said of the mode that will have players training their characters, coping with injuries and managing their brand. "This year it's all about being a legend."

A few of the sweet minutes we got to see of in-game footage dealt with the different types of fighting styles. Raw vs. Smackdown 2008 characters will have two of eight fighting styles - hardcore, high flier, submission artist, powerhouse, brawler, showman, dirty and technician - that will each have their own benefits and drawbacks when characters enter the ring.

For instance, THQ popped a match between Randy Orton and Kane on the auditorium's screens to showcase Orton's dirty fighting style. Kane went to put a beat down Orton, but the devious heel jumped behind the ref, grabbed the WWE employee's arms and used him as a human shield. After a bit of squirming on the ref's part, Orton threw the official into Kane. It knocked the ref out, and the big man down. Orton's dirty demo didn't end there. In another clip, the cowboy's kid placed a chair under the fallen Undertaker's head, grabbed another steel seat and slammed it down to make a noggin sandwich out of the Phenom.

The virtual Bobby Lashley was also trotted out by THQ to display some of the neat features for powerhouses. Pinned by Rey Mysterio, Lashley let the little man get a two-count before tossing the high flyer off his chest and across the ring. If a powerhouse stores a special, they'll be able to use it to kick out of any pin.

Using the ring as a weapon will also be up the sleeves of the Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 powerhouses. A demo showed Kane carrying Orton around the ring and slamming him into the corners, and a similar video had Lashley powerbombing Orton onto a portion of steel steps that had made it into the ring.

Poor Randy.



Ledesma said the theme of Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 is "How will you play." Fighting styles will help you find the character that fits your persona while 24/7 mode will give you the RPG-like tools you need to shape the WWE, but developers wanted to take the experience even deeper.

The new Struggle Submission System will play like a cat-and-mouse game, Ledesma said. Rather than have both players sit there while an animation of a figure-four leglock begins, the new system will have both players managing how their character acts during the battle. Using the analog stick, the player performing the move can move the joystick ever-so slightly to add just a little bit of pressure but make a long hold or wrench back on the stick to make the pressure go through the roof during a short hold. Meanwhile, the opponent in the hold can leave his or her stick alone and offer no resistance to the hold or work it to one side and try to power out of the lock.

"These choices are now up to you," Ledesma said.

In a video shown today, Triple H had whipping boy Orton in an abdominal stretch. The Game gave it his all and leaned back to contort Orton's body, but Orton took a shot and powered out to send Hunter flying. Triple H caught up to the kid again, put him in the same hold and Orton tapped.

Smackdown vs. Raw 2007 has shipped 3.6 million copies since it's release last year. With a fan base like that, it's doubtful THQ had to try hard to build excitement for 2008, but with the robust features described today - did I mention more than 50 match types, all the create modes you love, three different commentary teams and more than 50 superstars? - chances are the company just set its fanbase into world wrestling overdrive.

Lace up your boots, Hulkamaniacs. Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 heads to the ring this fall.

Has this been posted either??? I just found it here: http://www.http://boards.ign.com/wwe.../139716926/p1/

Originally Posted by More SVR2008 News

We'll take every bit of information that's given in the articles and list them here. It's best to start early on these things. If you know something that isn't on the list and have a credible source / proof - please tell. Keep in mind - this may take a while before it's completely updated.

Roster (Unofficial):

The following have been unofficially confirmed either via a screenshot or article. There will be more than 50 superstars.

Bobby Lashley
Chris Benoit (source)
Chris Masters (source)
John Cena (source)
Kane
Randy Orton
Rey Mysterio
Triple H
Undertaker

ECW wrestlers will be included.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Features:

- There will be 8 "Superstar Fighting Styles" which differentiate superstars from each other. These styles offer specific strategies and abilities that other wrestlers won't have. Styles work in different ways, so it's up to you to learn how to use it for each match type. Each superstar has a primary style and a secondary style. You will only have a special move for your primary style.

The styles include:

Brawler: Will be proficient in striking with special moves related to striking.
Dirty: Proficient in dirty tactics such as hiding behind the referee, shoving the referee into their opponent, and use of the "con-chair-to"
Hardcore: Good with weapons and no-dq matches.
High Flyer: Will have more aerial moves than other styles. They will be able to launch themselves over the ropes and other areas, unlike other styles.
Powerhouse: If a powerhouse stores a special, they'll be able to use it to kick out of any pin. Also be able to use the ring as a weapon (slamming into corners, powerbomb on steps).
Showman: A cocky and arrogant wrestler, they taunt and get the crowd into it. They will lower their foes momentum (think HBK, Orton, and even Undertaker.)
Submission Artist: Will be proficient in holds and have special abilities related to that.
Technician: No info has been given at this point.


- The "Struggle Submission System" gives users analog grappling control and the ability to adjust how much pressure their holds have. The system works the same for both offense and for defense. Players will add pressure on the analog stick to add pressure on the move. The system is described as a "cat and mouse game". The person getting the move done to can leave his or her stick alone and offer no resistance to the hold, or work it to one side and try to power out of the lock. The system adds strategy and will go back and forth.

- The DS version will have touch screen control and will be different than "traditional wrestling games".

- ECW superstars, arenas, and weapons will be included. ECW will have exclusive match types and weapons.

- There will be three announce teams. We must assume that it will be - RAW - J.R. & King, ECW - Joey Styles & Tazz, and SmackDown! - JBL & Michael Cole.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Modes:

- WWE 24/7 Mode was announced, which will combine Season and General Manager mode elements. It's not 100% known at this time if both GM Mode and Season mode have been removed, but it seems to be that way. The theme of the mode is that you're a WWE superstar who wants to become a WWE Legend. As opposed to winning a match at WrestleMania, your goal will now be to become a WWE Legend. In order to do that, you will have to complete a long list of objectives. A created wrestler will take longer to get to "Legend" status as opposed to someone who's already an accomplished superstar like Undertaker. You will start out on RAW or SmackDown! and you can switch shows throughout your time in the mode. There will also be specific created superstar paths.

The mode that will have players training their characters, coping with injuries and managing their brand. "This year it's all about being a legend." (source)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wii:

- In addition to intuitive motion-based controls, THQ hopes to make the game accessible to the broadest number of users possible with faster, more arcade-like gameplay, and less emphasis on simulation-style elements (for example, there will be no stamina meter). But that's not to say the game won't have a deep feature set. Building upon previous versions of SmackDown vs. Raw, the Wii version will include eight different fighting styles: Technical, Submission Artist, Showman, Powerhouse, High Flyer, Hardcore, Dirty, and Brawler. The fighting styles won't only allow the wrestlers to behave more like their real-life counterparts, but will give them unique special moves available only to their style. Powerhouses, for example, can mightily kick out of any pin if they have a finishing move stored in reserve, and Dirty wrestlers can push the referee at opponents.

- On Wii, you can actually make a punching motion with the Wii remote to punch, a lifting motion to lift an opponent up by the throat, and then a downward movement to chokeslam him to the mat. A demonstrator even mimicked DX's infamous crotch-chop with the nunchuk and remote to make his character, Triple H, perform the taunt in-game.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DS:

- Will have touch-screen-based moves.

- Is being developed by Amaze.

- Will have more than 80 holds.

- Will have a complete Season Mode with multiple storylines.

- Will feature 20 grapplers from RAW, SmackDown!, and ECW.

DS Roster:

Chris Benoit
Kane
Triple H


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Misc.:

- The game will release on PS2, PSP, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, & Nintendo DS

- AI (notably in Tag Team matches), animation quality, collision detection, and clipping were supposedly put "top priorities" in terms of what the team wants to fix. Animation is especially a top priority, or the "franchise objective" (highest priority) as Cory Ledesma stated.

- Blending between moves and general movements like walking, running, climbing will be better.

- Collision problems that are visible during certain "up close" moves are being worked on.

- Cory Ledesma gave an example explaining how a superstar like Kane will move around much slower than Rey Mysterio. All of Mysterio's and Kane's animations would also tie into their style and the gameplay.

- Some moves are being reanimated as opposed to just being improved.

- Expect brand new animations for running around, getting in and out of the ring, and picking up weapons.

- If you go from walking to running, you'll now notice a blended transition between the two. Going from picking up a weapon to standing up will also look better.

- Each superstar has two fighting styles.

- The DS version will have touch screen control and will be different than "traditional wrestling games".

- When it comes to online - how the match plays, its quality and framerate, and the interface will be addressed.

- ECW will be treated equally as a brand along with RAW and SmackDown! It's going to be just as equal to Raw and Smackdown as far as superstars, arenas, attacks you'll have in season mode, you'll have exclusive weapons, exclusive match types (source)

- SmackDown vs. Raw vs. ECW would've been a long title. Also, SmackDown vs. Raw is recognizable household name at this point.